The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services in the Republic of Macedonia at its 4th session, held on 28 January 2014, adopted the Concept of monitoring radio and television programme services and the Methodology for monitoring election media coverage through the radio and television programme services during the election processes.
The concept applies only to the election process in 2014, whereas the Methodology is a general document that applies to all election processes.
The concept defines the periods of monitoring (from the announcement of the elections to the campaign, the first and second round of the election campaign and the election silence), the media coverage, the sample of their programme that will be subject to analysis and the method of implementation, as well as the required number of external associates for implementation of the monitoring.
The methodology explains in detail how monitoring of all legal provisions relating to media coverage will be conducted. The methodology provides an overview of the relevant legal framework, determines the aims of the monitoring, the subject and method of the monitoring. Within the method, it was defined which quantitative and qualitative aspects will be analysed in daily informative programmes and how, then what issues are important for specific information programmes (interviews, debates , RA / TV debates etc. ), what will be monitored in the forms of direct access to the audience/voters (free political representation and paid political advertising) and what would be considered a breach of election silence.
The full text of the concept and methodology can be downloaded from the initial page of the website of the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services.
At the 5th session held on 29 January 2014, the Agency for Audio And Audiovisual Media Services, due to noncompliance with the liability to broadcast vocal and/or vocal-instrumental music, pursuant to the Law on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, issued a measure -warning to RA Ros Metropolis, the First programme service of the Macedonian television, the Second programme service of the Macedonian Television, Alfa TV, Telma TV, Kanal 5 TV , Alsat – M TV and Sitel TV.
The undertaken measures, with a detailed explanation are posted on the website of the Agency .
The Agency also adopted the Draft – Work Programme of the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services in RM for 2014 (Programme for planned activities) and pursuant to the Law on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, opens a public debate and invites all interested parties within 30 days from the date of its publication, to express their opinions, views and positions. The text of the Draft – Programme is posted on the website of the Agency.